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A charge of misbehavior in public office for the Head of the Special Operations Response Team in Trinidad and Tobago, Inspector Mark Hernandez.

Officers of the Professional Standards Bureau laid the charge yesterday afternoon after consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Forty-six-year-old Inspector Hernandez has to appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate on June 1^st.

At around 2pm yesterday the inspector appeared before Justice of the Peace Betsy Ann Lambert-Peterson for the hearing of a Habeas Corpus Writ filed by his attorney last Friday.

Following his release he was confident his name would be cleared.

One of his attorneys Gerard Ramdeen called the charge sad.

In the meantime he is on $300,000 dollars bail.

The charge comes after investigations into the deaths, while in custody, of kidnapping and murder suspects Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris.

The 2 were taken into custody for questioning in relation to the kidnapping and murder of Andrea Bharatt in late January this year.

Inspector Hernandez was detained early last Wednesday.

President of the Medical Association of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Vishnu Beharry warns no good can come from that unsubstantiated reports linking deaths to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan died days after receiving the jab while Ijaz Hanniff died 8 days after being inoculated.

Interviewed on TV6’s Morning Edition today, Dr. Beharry said the positives of the COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the negatives.

Dr. Beharry pointed out the benefits of the vaccines.

Yesterday the Ministry of Health confirmed that the Brazilian variant of COVID-19 is present in the local population.

The Ministry said the sample, which came from a COVID-19 positive patient in the Nariva/Mayaro County was sent, via the Caribbean Public Health Agency, to the University of the West Indies.

Through genetic sequencing was done, and it was found to be the P1 variant or the Brazilian variant

The Ministry assured the contact tracing required to restrict the spread of the virus has already begun.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 claims yet another life.

The latest update from the Ministry yesterday said one more person has died from the virus bringing the total number of deaths to 154.

The Ministry also said there are 24 new cases of COVID-19 from samples taken during the period April 16^th -18^th.

Three deaths are now linked to the coronavirus.

The ministry of health confirmed the deaths yesterday.

It said there are also 134 new cases of the virus.

It is the 3^rd highest number of cases in the country since the start of the pandemic.

According to the Ministry 3 adult males with comorbidities bring the death toll to 153.

The Ministry said 85 people are hospitalised because of the virus.

There are now 847 active cases in the country.

A total of 8,940 cases of the virus have been recorded since the first was detected here last year.

The Ministry said there are 52 positive patients at the Couva Hospital, 6 are in the Intensive Care Unit and 4 are warded at the High Dependency Unit.

Fourteen patients are at Caura Hospital and 19 are at the Scarborough Regional Hospital.

Seven positive patients are at the University of the West Indies Debe Step Down Facility.

At state quarantine facilities there are 288 patients while 623 people are in home self-isolation.

Two murders are now being investigated; one of the victims is a 96-year-old woman from Siparia.

Utilda Joseph was killed at her home in Siparia sometime between last Friday night and Saturday morning.

She was found with her hands bound and there was blood at her mouth and on her bed.

It is reported the woman’s bankbook and her ID card were missing from the house.

It is said the killer or killers entered and left the house via a space left by the removal of two glass louvers.

The space is at the front of the house on Hillview Lane Extension.

And a 60-year-old businessman Anand Maharaj is found dead at an apartment on San Fabien Road.

Mr. Maharaj’s body was found wrapped in plastic and concealed under a couch in an apartment on Saturday.

He was the owner of Triple-A Auto Services Limited, which he operated out of his home at Jeffers Lane Charles Street in Gasparillo.

Police have held a suspect in connection with the killing.

A car rented by a customer was reportedly found at the suspect’s home on San Fabien Road.

Officers of Region 3 Homicide are leading investigations.

Police probe 3 murders.

In the latest incident a father and his teenaged son are gunned down in Moruga.

Hakim Simms and his 41-year-old father Alvin Simms were shot along Penal Rock Road on Tuesday evening.

Police were contacted and when they arrived they found Mr. Simms in a drain.

Police say they were told that the men were related, and lived in the area.

Investigations are ongoing.

The police service says so far for the year there have been 93 murders compared to 151 at the same time in 2020.

The Southwest Regional Health Authority is not linking reports concerning a blood clot in a patient to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The issue was addressed yesterday during the COVID-19 news briefing.

News of the possible link emerged Tuesday night after relatives of the individual told the media the 60-year-old had taken the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine one week ago.

However yesterday CEO of the SWRHA, Dr. Brian Armour stated there is no correlation between the vaccine and the man’s condition at this time

Dr. Armour indicated that the case has been clinically evaluated and an internal report is being compiled.

Meanwhile the Minister of Health said vaccine administration is well underway with over 1800 doses administered from Monday to Tuesday.

Minister Terrance Deyalsingh explained that due to Tuesday night’s shipment from India, a decision has been made regarding doses from the first tranche of COVAX vaccines.

In addition Minister Deyalsingh also announced that phase 2 of this country’s vaccine rollout is set to begin this Saturday.

Police, prison and fire officers along with customs will also be included in the second phase.  

Two COVID patients in Trinidad and Tobago are dead.

The COVID triggered death toll now stands at 148.

In a release, the Ministry of Health also says 85 new cases have been recorded.

It says there are now 630 active COVID-19 cases.

Word of the new infections and deaths came on the day Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh announced some familiar re-imposed restrictions.

Minister Deyalsingh said all beaches are now closed.

The Health Minister announced the restrictions during yesterday’s COVID-19 media conference.

Further Minster Deyalsingh said house limes and gatherings are restricted.

The re-imposed measures went into effect at midnight last night.

Meanwhile Diane Hadad wants to know what is happening with the road map to recovery initiative and when the measures will be implemented.

She was speaking on TV6’s Morning Edition program.

The Opposition, United National Congress is again questioning the circumstances surrounding the infection of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, who is now COVID-19 positive.

The UNC yesterday cast doubt on the protocols, which are being afforded to the Prime Minister.

Member of Parliament for Caroni east, Dr. Rishard Seecharan told a news conference the Prime Minister’s status raised questions about the safety of those who would have attended the sitting of Parliament on March 26^th.

Dr. Seecharan said the Opposition was right to boycott last Friday’s sitting out of concerns.

Chief whip David Lee yesterday morning said the change of protocol as referred to by Dr. Hinds should have been made public before.

He said the Parliament has been observing all the right protocols related to the keeping the virus at bay.

The Prime Minister is to be tested for the coronavirus again today, just over 1 week after he was diagnosed as positive.

Dr. Keith Rowley yesterday said he is feeling well and is being closely monitored by health officials in Tobago.

He has been there since his diagnosis.

On the All-Inclusive Family Show on i95.5fm Dr. Rowley again expressed surprise at being tested positive.

Dr. Rowley said he is in isolation but he is fine.

He said he intends to follow all the protocols whatever the outcome of the test today.

Dr. Rowley said he has been chairing meetings virtually and guiding his Cabinet while in isolation.